UT football: McCombs thinks Brown will return

AUSTIN — Red McCombs said the odds makers have it right. Texas deserves to be a two-touchdown underdog against Baylor on Saturday.

But the billionaire UT booster also said he’s had the chance to spend some time around the Longhorns’ locker room in recent weeks, and he’s starting to get the feeling that everyone might be in for a surprise.

“I sense a personal journey for the Texas players right now,” McCombs said Friday. “I think there’s going to be an upset.”

As for a bigger-picture prediction about who will be coaching the Longhorns next season? McCombs, the San Antonio auto magnate who’s donated millions to UT, said only Mack Brown knows for sure. McCombs said the decision will be Brown’s to make, and said he thinks Brown “should come back.”

Brown, who’s about to finish his 16th season at UT, has not made any definitive statements about his plans for next season. He’s expected to meet with school president Bill Powers and new athletic director Steve Patterson after the regular season to discuss the next step for the Longhorns, who have a chance to win at least a share of a conference title by beating Baylor.

That conversation might take place next week. Brown, Patterson, Powers and former athletic director DeLoss Dodds all are scheduled to be in New York from Sunday to Tuesday for National Football Foundation festivities, including the induction of former UT standout Jerry Gray into college football’s Hall of Fame.

UT’s annual postseason football awards banquet is Dec. 13.

Brown, who’s under contract through 2020, makes $5.4 million per season, but UT can buy out his deal for $2.75 million. On Wednesday, he said he hasn’t addressed his future with his players, saying, “I’m very unimportant.”

It remains unclear how much of an impact Saturday’s game will have on his decision. A victory over Baylor would send the Longhorns to the Fiesta Bowl (if Oklahoma State loses to Oklahoma) or to the Cotton Bowl (if OSU wins). A loss could send UT to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

McCombs said he’s been impressed with the way Brown and the Longhorns have rallied after suffering two blowouts in September.

“Either way you look at it, you can’t say they had a bad season,” McCombs said.